At 58, I thought love had passed me by until I met Oliver. As our connection deepened, his ex-wife, Rebecca, reappeared, determined to disrupt our budding relationship.

One morning, I first saw Oliver walking his golden retriever on the beach. We struck up a conversation, revealing we were both writers. Our relationship quickly blossomed, and I invited him to dinner. However, during our date, Rebecca showed up unannounced, causing Oliver to leave with her, leaving me feeling abandoned and humiliated.

Two days later, Oliver came to apologize. He explained, “Rebecca is my ex-wife. She often tries to sabotage my relationships. I should have told you the truth.” He invited me to a literary event to make amends.

At the event, Rebecca made another dramatic appearance, attacking both Oliver and me. She threw wine at me, creating a scene that left me devastated. Oliver confessed, “Rebecca controlled my life with guilt. I’ve been trying to escape her grasp.”

Seeing Oliver finally confront Rebecca with resolve made me realize he was ready to move on, and I hoped we could too.